CNET News Video

Amazon stops selling Blu phones over spyware worries

The $60 Android phone was Amazon's hottest seller -- until new reports of spyware surfaced.

1:20 / 1 August 2017

Transcript

Was BLU to good to be true.
The BLU R1 HD was the best selling phone on Amazon.
A basic Android phone that only cost around $60.
But Amazon has stop selling the phone and all other BLU phones this week.
Following reports That some blue models are loaded with spying software, a pre installed program that secretly tracks users text messages and activity and send that information to China.
That fact that blue had spying software isn't exactly breaking news researchers discovered this back in November at the time the phone manufacturer who said it fix the problem.
But it didn't quite.
Fast forward to today and researchers still found the tracking software inside a different BLU phone.
BLU denied any wrong doing and says it is in a process of review to get those phones back on Amazon.
BLU is part of Amazon's Prime Exclusive phones.
You see, Amazon sold BLU phones at such a discounted price In exchange for putting Amazon ads on the phone's lock screen.
Blue says the questionable software made by Shanghai AddUp's technology is not spyware and that has several policies in place which take customer privacy and security seriously.
I'm Bridget Carey.
For more details on this story, head to CNET.com.

Coming up next

Wi-Fi has a big security flaw - and you need to act now

Astronomers observe source of gravitational waves

What the heck is a 5G network?

Facebook wants to feed your face hole

Movies Anywhere: Your questions answered

Movies Anywhere wants to fix your scattered digital library

Oculus shows Dash, new 'Minority Report'-type interface for the...

Oculus Rift and Touch get price cut

Oculus announces Project Santa Cruz with 6-degrees-of-freedom...

Zuckerberg unveils stand-alone Oculus Go VR headset

Latest Tech Industry videos

What the heck is a 5G network?

1:2916 October 2017

The hype about this important phone network standard is about to become deafening. CNET's Stephen Shankland explains what you need...

Play video

RIP Windows Mobile, new Oculus and Kindle

1:1314 October 2017

The week's most important tech stories include Microsoft's focus shifting away from Windows Mobile, Facebook's debut of a cheaper Oculus...

Play video

Facebook wants to feed your face hole

1:0013 October 2017

The social network taps into food-ordering services to let you order pickup or delivery, directly from a restaurant's page.

Play video

High-tech baby gear for new parents

1:0313 October 2017

Technology has turned these basic baby items into high-tech monitors that help keep your little one safe.

Play video

Google drops Home Mini function, Disney boosts new streaming service

1:1413 October 2017

Today's biggest tech stories include Google's removal of the new Home Mini's top touch function and Disney's addition of five major...

Play video

A new Oculus headset, Amazon debuts the next Kindle Oasis

1:0912 October 2017

Today's biggest headlines in tech include Facebook's new Oculus Go headset, Amazon's debut of a new Kindle Oasis and Qualcomm's receipt...